“Numerous Start Button emulators with names like StartIsBack, Pokki, and StartMenu are proliferating — and many of them are free,” Gownder writes. “Yet I&O departments can’t support users easily with these emulators and would prefer a Start Button that’s simply part of the OS.”

Gownder also addresses potential concerns that Microsoft may have about selling its vision of touch-enabled PCs short by bringing back the Start button. In essence, Gownder thinks users will happily accept the return of the Start button and will be thankful to the company for taking their concerns into account.

“During the period when the Windows Store’s modern UI apps continue to grow in number and sophistication, Windows 8 users need to have the strongest possible Desktop Mode experience,” he writes. “Empowering users with familiar tools wouldn’t be a sign of surrender, but rather a sign that Microsoft listens to its customers.”